LatestNews
By posting news here you agree that your reports may be added to the LNHS database for use in the London Bird Report. A scalable map of the London recording area can be found here. Please list sightings alphabetically by site, following our standard format to assist automatic compilation of records into the database. Only report sightings of wide interest rather than listing all common birds (sightings of a more general nature may be recorded on the General sightings page). DO NOT post details of nesting by scarce breeding birds (those included in Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, as amended). Any such reports will be removed; please submit them instead to the appropriate LNHS bird recorder. More London bird news can be found on Twitter by searching for sightings from many different observers using the #londonbirds hashtag or by visiting the London Bird Club page (no Twitter account is necessary for either). To join the London Bird Club and support our work please visit the LNHS website. The '''2016 London Bird Report' is now out - to get a copy please click here'' Thursday 7th June 2018 *Alexandra Park: Drake Red-crested Pochard Boating Lake 1215-1320 at least, Meadow Brown Lower Slopes (APOG Birders) *Brent Reservoir: 2 Little Ringed Plover; at least 16 active nests at nearby House Martin colony (Andrew Haynes) *Clerkenwell, St John St, 4+ Swifts circling low around buildings @ 0830. Local breeders? (S Tusa) *Mayflower Park Wetlands: Common Buzard circling, Whitethroat, Reed Warblers quite active, Chiffchaff, 3+ Golcrest fledglings, Great-Spotted Woodpeckers also fledged (Isaiah Rowe) *Stockwell a community garden: c20 House Sparrows ate 1.5 kg bag of fat balls in 7 days with extra peanuts from feeders (Michael Mac) *Stoneleigh Station KT17: 1 Blackcap, 5 Collared Dove, 16 Herring Gull (Neil Batten) *Totteridge Valley/ Darlands Lake: skein of 25 Canada Geese E, Mandarin Duck, pr Tufted Duck (Long Pond), Cormorant, Grey Heron, Common Buzzard, 2 Coot + 4 Cootling, 4 Lapwing, 18 Stock Dove, Little Owl, 65 Swift, Kestrel, 35+ Rook, 4 Swallow, 5 House Martin, Treecreeper, Goldcrest, m Firecrest on corner of Burtonhole/ Partingdale Lane, 11 Chiffchaff, 17 Blackcap, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 18 Common Whitethroat, 5 Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, 2 Pied Wagtail, m Reed Bunting, 2 Bullfinch, 2 Linnet, 26+ Goldfinch. (Samuel Levy) *Trent Park: 8 m Mandarin Duck, Common Tern lower lake, 2 Stock Dove, Green Woodpecker, 4 Song Thrush, 3 Blackcap incl one juv, 4 Nuthatch adult and three juvs, Treecreeper (Robert Callf) *Walthamstow Marshes: 2 (probably 3) singing m Reed Bunting, 4 Reed Warblers (2 singing m) in Bomb Crater Field, 2 Sand Martin Leyton Marsh/canal, 6 Stock Dove, 6 Linnet, 2 Pied Wagtail, 2 Egyptian Geese paddocks 0800-0900 (Alastair Dent) *West Putney SW15: 2 Collared Dove - the first time a pair have persistently held territory in the vicinity of my home since 1994 at least (J.Wilczur); makes up for the skylarks?'' Sadly not (JW); female House Sparrow - only the second record in fifteen years at my current address although there is a small colony a few hundred yards along the road (JW); ''still doesn't make up for the Skylarks (JW) Wednesday 6th June 2018 *Brookmill Park: Little Egret, 2 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest (Conrad Ellam) *Crossness: 70 Gadwall, 30 Shelduck including a brood of ducklings + Ruddy hybrid, 2 Kestrel, 2 Lapwing, Oystercatcher, 5 Common Tern, 4 Swift, 5 House Martin, 15 Reed Warbler, 6 Cetti's Warbler, 8 Whitethroat, Blackcap, 2 Chiffchaff, 4 Linnet, Reed Bunting (Conrad Ellam) *Cranford CP: 5 Skylark, 7 Common Whitethroat, 3 Blackcap, several Swift, 1 Kestrel, Little Owl heard calling, m & f nesting Bullfinch (Wendy Marks) *Dollis Brook, Holders Hill: 8 Swift, Blackcap, Red Kite NE, Kestrel SW, Grey Wagtail, Green Woodpecker (Samuel Levy) *Epping: Connaught water - Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Mandarin Duck, Common Tern, 2 Black Headed Gull (JW Davies) *Ewell, Hogsmill Open Space: Kingfisher, Whitethroat, 3 (m&2f) Blackcap, Grey Wagtail, 10+ party of young Long-Tailed Tits, at least 1 pair of Chiffchaffs bringing food to nest, Swallow E and a Kestrel (Isaiah Rowe) * Finchley: Garden N3 - 7 Stock Dove, 12 Swift, 2 Peregrine SW/W, Goldcrest, Pied Wagtail. (Samuel Levy) * Greenwich Ecology Park: 10 adult Common Tern with 8 chicks, 2 Sand Martin, 3 Reed Warbler (John Bushell) * Islington. Pair of peregrines flying round building in Holloway Road between 2.30 and 3.00pm. Sometimes sitting in full view, but also going behind the parapet out of sight on arrival (Mavis Pilbeam) *Ladywell Fields: Green Woodpecker, singing Song Thrush, singing Chiffchaff, 2 singing Blackcap, Mandarin Duck f, Grey Wagtail, 2 pairs Blue Tits feeding newly fledged young one pair with four young the other with two young (Keith Chambers) *Lee Valley, Cornmill Meadows: 2 Gadwall, 2 Lapwing, 4 Buzzard, Hobby, Kingfisher, 2 singing Cuckoo, 8+ singing Sedge Warbler, 2 singing Garden Warbler, 10+ Reed Bunting (Simon Papps) * Maiden's Bridge, Bulls Cross: 2 Blackcap male feeding juvenile (Robert Callf) * Oxleas Wood: 3 Nuthatch, 3 Blackcap (f m), Stock Dove, 2 Jackdaw, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Common Buzzard, 2 Goldcrest (copulating), 2 Coal Tit, Treecreeper, 3 Song Thrush, 3 Great Spotted Woodpecker, Green Woodpecker (Ron Turner) *Ridgeway, Mill Hill: Mallard + 5 ducklings, Moorhen + 5 Ducklings, 2 Canada Geese + 7 Goslings (all at Sheepwash), Also Kestrel, Common Buzzard, 2 Hobby, 20+ Swift (Samuel Levy) *River Lea; Anyone wondering where all the Swifts are? -- quite a few here on London River Lea E5 (Christine Wheeler via Twitter) *Stanmore Country Park,Wood Farm:Common Whitethroat,Blackcap,Chiffchaff plus Badger,Rabbit (Francis O'Sullivan) *Stoneleigh KT17: Blackcap singing in The Glade 06:30 (new arrival) (Neil Batten) *Walthamstow Reservoirs: 18 Pochard chicks, 2 Peregrine, 6 Chiffchaffs including 5 juvs, Lesser Whitethroat, Greater Spotted Woodpecker, 4 Common Tern (Daniel Whitelegg) *Wimbledon Common: 3 Grey Wagtail by Queensmere (Hugh Nicholson) *Woodberry Wetlands: Peregrine, 2 Linnet, Pochard x Tufted Duck hybrid, first Jackdaw of year (Chris Farthing & Tony Butler) Tuesday 5th June 2018 *Alexandra Park: 4+ House Martin, 20+ Swift (Bob Watts) *Brookmill Park: Swift, 3 Blackcap m f & j, Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam) *Islington N7: Peregrine roosting on building Holloway Rd,18:00 (Allan Stewart) *Isle of Dogs: 3cy Yellow-legged Gull Thames shore opposite Cutty Sark (Sean Huggins) *Jubilee Path:Ferny Hill Enfield: Common Buzzard, LBB Gull, 25 Common Swift. ( Pete Lowman). *Lamorbey Park: 2+ juv Tawny Owl, 3+ juv Blackcap, singing Chiffchaff (Ian Stewart) *London Wetland Centre: 18+ Black-headed Gull chicks (Twitter) *Maida Vale: Common Buzzard low SW over Castellain Road pursued by crows (Des McKenzie via Twitter) *Mudchute Farm: Reed Warbler singing (Sean Huggins) *Regent's Park: Mistle Thrush juveniles, great photos on Twitter (Magnus Andersson via Twitter) *Richmond Park NNR: 10 male Skylark - a repeat of last month's survey showed a further reduction in territories so that the breeding population has halved since last year (J.Wilczur); Blackcap, Common Buzzard, a vociferous Common Tern mobbing a Common Buzzard over Isabella Plantation for five minutes, f.Red-crested Pochard on Peg's Pond with two ducklings, Red Kite, Reed Warbler, 2 Common Whitethroat (N. Jackman) Pen Ponds: Sand Martin 7 active nests in artificial bank (Phil Belman) *Seventy Acres Lake (Lee Valley): redhead Smew '''(over-summering bird???) on western side at midday. (Bill Haines). *Springwell Lake, Harefield. 4 Goldeneye ( imm male & 3 fem ). ( G.Lapworth ) *Staines Moor: 'Short-eared Owl '(RBA) *Trent Park: 3 Blackcap,9 Common Swift, Garden Warbler, Goldfinch, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, LBB Gull, 4 m Mandarin, Red Kite, 3 Song Thrush, Swallow, pair of Tufted Duck, '''Monday 4th June 2018 *Alexandra Park: Little Egret north, 5 House Martin, 15+ Swift (APOG Birders) *Brookmill Park: Singing Blackcap, singing Chiffchaff (Conrad Ellam) *Dollis Brook, Holders Hill: 2 Chiffchaff, Blackcap, Grey Wagtail (Samuel Levy) *Finchley: Garden N3 - Juv Starling, 2 Goldcrest, 6 Stock Dove, Common Buzzard SW, 12 Swift (Samuel Levy) *London Wetland Centre Barnes: No sign of Savi's Warbler up to 09.30 in cold cloudy conditions (Jake per FJM). No sign 07:00-09:30 of Savi's Warbler. Thick cloud, cold breeze and very few warblers singing yet this morning though. Will update if any developments (WWT Twitter). No sign 13:00 (Nick S, M Wheeler et al) *Trent Park: 3 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, 3 Common Buzzard, Common Tern, 20 Common Swift, Common Whitethroat, 5 Goldfinch, G.S Woodpecker, LBB Gull, 6 Mandarin f,5m, 2 Song Thrush.( Pete Lowman ). Sunday 3rd June 2018 *Alexandra Park: 2 Common Buzzard, Peregrine, Little Egret (APOG Birders) *Brent Reservoir: Little Ringed Plover, Greylag Goose, 2 Egyptian Geese, Cetti's Warbler (Andrew Self) *Brockwell Park Reed Warbler, 6 Swifts drinking over surface of water - top pond (Michael Mac); 1 Nuthatch & 1Great Spotted Woodpecker 18.30, not quite on a par with my Savi's Warbler find at WWT earlier! (Matthew J. Bradbury) Red Kite circling over music festival at east end of park drifting slowly westwards 18.40, 4 Swift feeding over trees (Keith Chambers) *Eastcote (Field End Rec): Red Kite, Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Swift, Song Thrush (Tim Rymer) *Finchley: Garden N3 - Green Woodpecker, 6 Stock Dove, 2 Goldcrest, Blackcap, 12 Swift, Red Kite E. (Samuel Levy) *Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park: Common Tern up to 13, Sand Martin 2,Long-tailed Tit 2 adults & 4 young Blackcap 1, Reed Warbler 5 (Richard Green, John Bushall) *London Wetland Centre: SAVI'S WARBLER singing from main reedbed 1000 (BirdGuides); still in middle reedbed channel viewed fr second bridge from Wildside hide. Showed well 1300 sat up in willow clump singing (WWT tweet); seen singing 1310 (Mat Bradbury et al) Still singing and seen briefly occasionally prior to 16.00. (Dave Harris per FJM). 10.00, I first heard this bird whilst on my own in Wildside Hide (? the two story one overlooking grazing marsh); a lifer for me! I have never seen or heard this species before. I thought it was the electric fence playing up. After five minutes I realised it was a Savi's Warbler as I have good knowledge of Grasshopper Warbler song each year and it was totally different to that! Luckily I had the Collins Bird app with me and was able to play the song of Savi's Warbler to confirm. However, it took until 13.10 to see it, singing relatively exposed low in willow scrub in middle of main reedbed (Matthew J. Bradbury and later other observers). Still singing when I left with sunburn at 16.00!. It was singing again after 16.15 (Shailesh Patel). Heard and seen crossing the channel c.30m before the Wildside hide when passing at c.1015 am mis-identified as a Grasshopper Warbler singing / poss. brief Reed Warbler sighting and "un-identified" when later checking xeno-canto Gropper recordings and before reading this next day, as "something else"! Also, Common Tern from Wildside hide 10-1030 before flying off towards the Thames (Thomas Donegan, Jorge Velazquez). *Middlesex Filterbeds: singing Reed Warbler Bed 4, pair Reed Warbler collecting food near R Lea, singing Chiffchaff (Jan Dobbie) *Millfields E5: Peregrine flew off from pylon at 0940 - my first sighting here for several weeks (Alastair Dent) *Mitcham Common: Skylark singing (Michael Mac) *Piccadilly, Royal Academy: Black Redstart singing courtyard, 11.30 (R.Kaye) *Southall TQ1280: Red Kite over and briefly feeding 16.45 (Phil Belman) *St Georges Wharf SW8: Mediterranean Gull 2cy downriver, 2 Yellow-legged Gulls both 2cy (N.P.Senior) *Ten Acre Wood Area: 2 Lapwing, 4 Skylark, Little Egret, 3 Buzzard, 3 Red Kite, 10 Rook, 4 Reed Bunting, Pheasant, Whitethroat. Local birder also reported seeing a Barn Owl at 05:45 (Nigel Dodd) *Totteridge Valley/ Darlands Lake: 2 Red Kite, 5 Common Buzzard, 2 Lapwing, 12 Stock Dove, 14 Swift, Kestrel, 35+ Rook, 11 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 2 Nuthatch, 2 Goldcrest, 8 Chiffchaff, 24 Blackcap, 6 Garden Warbler, 2 Lesser Whitethroat, 27 Common Whitethroat, Mistle Thrush, m Reed Bunting, 2 House Sparrow. (Samuel Levy & Simon Worsfold) *Walthamstow Marshes: Singing Reed Bunting and singing Reed Warbler Bomb Crater Field, 6+ Sand Martin Leyton Marsh/canal, 15 Canada Geese rear paddocks 0900-0930 (Alastair Dent) *Waterworks NR: 2 singing Reed Bunting, 2 Reed Warbler, Sparrowhawk, singing Chiffchaff, Cetti's Warbler, 2 m Pochard, pair Gadwall, pair Garden Warbler with food (Jan Dobbie) *Woodberry Wetlands: Recently fledged Linnets, the first breeding record for the species here (Chris Farthing & Tony Butler) Saturday 2nd June 2018 *Alexandra Park: Red Kite over garden 1/2 ml north of park. Circled, then headed NNE 10.15. Little Egret and Heron apparently 'shadowing' fishing Cormorants from bank on reservoir. (Greg Smith) *Brent Reservoir: m Wigeon, Little Ringed Plover, Lapwing, 2 Black-headed Gull, 8 Common Tern, 3 Cetti’s Warbler, Goldcrest, m Reed Bunting (plus Bahama Pintail still) (Andrew Haynes, Stephen Branley), same plus 2 Egyptian Goose, 3 Broods Mute Swan, female Peregrine, 6+ House Martin, 5+ Black-headed Gull (Roy Beddard). *Brockley Nature Reserve: Sparrowhawk, 2 singing Song Thrush, 2 Great Spotted Woodpecker, singing Chiffchaff, 4 Swift, 6+ newly fledged Great Tit with adults (Keith Chambers). *Gunpowder Park: 3 Red Kites, 2 carrying twigs, Common Buzzard, a few singing Song Thrushes, 2 Common Whitethroat, singing Chiffchaffs, Blackcaps, 2 Little Grebe. (Harry Harrison) *Eastcote (Field End Rec): Little Egret over, 5 Swift, 2 Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Greenfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Jay, Song Thrush (Tim Rymer) *Lower Kingswood, Wildwood riding centre: 58 Swift, 8 Swallow, 6 House Martin, 1 male Yellowhammer, 2 Common Buzzard, 1 Sparrowhawk, 1 Blackcap, 2 Pied Wagtail (Neil Batten) *Oakwood Park: Painted Lady nectaring on bramble blossom, Orange Conch - Commophila aeneana - nationally scarce micro-moth species (Robert Callf) *Sidcup: 7 House Martin back on territory (Ian Stewart) *Totteridge Valley/ Darlands Lake: 16 Blackcap, 327+ Swift mainly N (including flock of 141+), Swallow, 4 poss 5 Kestrel, 3 Lapwing, 35+ Rook, 41 Stock Dove, 5 Common Buzzard, 2 Sparrowhawk, 14 Chiffchaff, 13 Common Whitethroat, 2 Linnet, 3 Lesser Whitethroat, Grey Heron, Red Kite, House Martin. Also Grass Snake attempted to take out Mallard Duckling at Darlands but was chased off by both a Mallard and Moorhen. (Samuel Levy) *Trent Park: 2 Blackcap ,2 Chiffchaff, Common Tern, Common Whitethroat, Garden Warbler, G S Woodpecker, 4m Mandarin, Song thrush. ( Pete Lowman). *Tulse Hill: Grey Wagtail in song flight from roof of White Hart public house 11.30 (Matthew J. Bradbury). *West Norwood Cemetery: 6 Swifts, Painted Lady (Michael Mac) 'Friday 1st June 2018' *Alexandra Park: Red-crested Pochard pair on concrete edge of Boating Lake c0845 but no sign 0930 (less than annual at this site) (Alan Gibson per Bob Watts), 4 Jackdaw north (Bob Watts) *Barnet: If you live in the London Borough of Barnet, or visit birding sites in Hendon or Mill Hill, please view this consultation. *Battersea Library: f Sparrowhawk "bumped" into a perched Feral Pigeon - strange watched this hawk fly low and it just bumped into this Feral Pigeon which flew round in a circle and the hawk just carried on, is this example of an elderly hawk? (Michael Mac) Should've gone to Specsavers. *Brent Reservoir: (from main hide 0530–0730) 2 Little Ringed Plover, 8 Common Tern, 2 Cetti’s Warbler, m Reed Bunting (Andrew Haynes) *Brockwell Park: Reed Warbler singing on main pond. (Stuart Hearne). *Crayford Marshes: Avocet east along Thames as far as Darent then back c16.00, Little Egret, male Marsh Harrier v low over my head at Darent mouth then probable second bird c30 mins later, 2-3 Kestrel, Peregrine, 4-5 Oystercatcher, 3 Lapwing (many Lapwings and a few Redshanks mobbing a Marsh Harrier over Rainham RSPB), c20 Common Tern, Cuckoo NE over Thames 16.34, c100 Swift, 4+ Skylark, 2 Swallow, 2 House Martin, 4+ Meadow Pipit, 2+ Blackcap, 12+ Whitethroat, Lesser Whitethroat, 3+ Cetti’s Warbler, 2+ Reed Warbler, 2+ Chiffchaff, Reed Bunting, Emperor Dragonfly, Hairy Dragonfly, Broad-bodied Chaser (Ian Stewart) *Finchley Central: Highlights from BBS - 99+ Swift, Little Egret, Mistle Thrush, 5 Blackcap, 4 Stock Dove (Samuel Levy & Joan Arnold) *Greenford UB6: Garden 12+ young Starling, numerous House Sparrows (adults and young) 2 young Goldfinches (Martin Smith) *Hendon NW4: If you visit birding sites in Hendon, please view this consultation. *Horsenden Hill: Little Owl(Fields) (Martin Smith) *London Wetland Centre: Ringed Plover, Blackcap & Chiffchaff (Shailesh Patel) *Mill Hill NW7: If you visit birding sites in Mill Hill, please view this consultation. *Oxleas Wood:5Jackdaw,2Goldcrest,Nuthatch,3Treecreeper,Songthrush,Kestrel(pr)5Goldfinch,Blackcap (Ron Turner) *Romford: Over A127 near Gidea Park about 10 Swifts at 4 pm, likely nest prospecting (Patrick English) *Sidcup DA15: 2 Rook NE over King Georges Park (Ian Stewart) *Stockwell/in a Community Garden: c25 House Sparrows including fledglings - don't breed here- 2 nest sites both 200 meters away some in roof tiles and others in broken vent pipes (Michael Mac) *Town Park, Enfield: mature male Beautiful Demoiselle along New River (Robert Callf) *Trent Park: 5 Chiffchaff adult feeding four juvs huddled together on branch, 3 Treecreeper (Robert Callf) *Trent Park Equestrian Centre: 8+ Barn Swallow - two occupied nests - 5+ ad and 3 young incl one fledged, possibly my earliest fledging date for this species (Robert Callf) *Tulse Hill: Grey Wagtail singing from top of street light on busy South Circular outside Co-op local, 08.00 (Matthew J. Bradbury). Archived News Link to previous months